A Biochemical Approach to Addiction: Nutritional Support for the Addicted Brain, MHAH

Overview:If, as science has shown, addiction is a disease of the brain, how do we heal the brain? What’s broken? Is it genetic? Can it be fixed? Can a biochemical approach be the ‘third leg of the stool’ for successful recovery?

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

Describe the Pro Recovery Diet and how it supports optimum brain functioning.

Recognize Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) and what nutrients compensate for the RDS brain.

Define what is hypoglycemia and the role it plays in alcoholism, anger, anxiety, and relapse.

Describe the role of amino acid therapy in decreasing relapse and cravings.

Featured Speaker: Debra Filla, BA, MBA, is Builder, and Owner of Inside Out, a business focused on “building health from the inside out” since 1998. Debra is a Certified Addiction Recovery & Mental Health Nutrition Coach: Level I & II. Retired from a 30-year career with IBM and past VP of the KC Celiac Sprue Association, she is currently serving her 13th year as Councilmember in the City of Leawood. Debra has a fascination with the incredible mystery of how the body works and, more importantly, how it heals. When her youngest daughter acquired Alopecia she began in earnest to investigate the ‘Mystery of the Missing Hair,’ and more importantly, what causes a healthy immune system to ‘kick the bucket’. When she and her family all tested positive for gluten sensitivity, she researched the role gluten plays in celiac and other diseases. A continual life learner, Debra has extended her real world learning to explore the connection between the gut, aka our “second brain,” the biochemistry of addiction, and the impact of nutrition on mental health in order to understand the generational history of alcoholism.

Who Should Attend: This workshop will be of benefit to the community, healthcare and mental health professionals.

Continuing Education: Certificate of Attendance (1.5 CEU's).

Location: Old Mission United Methodist Church, (Hanson Hall), 5519 State Park Rd., Fairway, KS (The church is located at the intersection of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Mission Road on the eastside).

Registration: Workshop is $10.00.

Pre-register only. Contact Stacy Davis to obtain a registration form or visit www.mhah.org. If you have any questions and/or need translation or other accommodation, please contact Stacy Davis at by email or (913) 281-2221 ext. 112 at least 5 days prior to the workshop. Registration deadline is June 22, 2017. View this event on our Community Calendar for location information.